Some alternative treatments may be effective. However, be sure to ask your doctor about any alternative treatment you're considering. It's also important to still have on hand proven treatments to rapidly reverse severe allergic reactions, such as epinephrine injections.

Here are some alternative treatments that may play a role in controlling food allergies:

Herbal supplements

A Chinese herbal supplement called FAHF-2 has been shown to stop anaphylaxis -- a life-threatening allergic reaction -- caused by peanuts, eggs and fish. However, it's still being tested in larger populations. Also, many herbal supplements aren't evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and may contain active ingredients that can cause unexpected side effects.

Acupuncture treatment

Acupuncture needles are FDA approved as a medical device, and some people have reported a reduction in allergic reactions after acupuncture treatment. However, no published studies formally investigating the use of acupuncture for food allergies have been identified.

Nutrition

Allergic reactions are essentially immune responses to food, and certain nutrients, such as antioxidants, probiotics and folic acid, have known effects on immune function. Some surveys suggest that supplementing your diet with vitamins A, D and E and zinc may help control food allergies. However, no rigorous studies on the effects of nutrition on food allergies have been conducted, and the FDA doesn't evaluate most dietary supplements.

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